Her Need: Affection
Quite simply, affection is the expression of love. It symbolizes security, protection, comfort, and approval – vitally important ingredients in any relationship. When one spouse is affectionate to the other, the following messages are sent:
Charles Lindbergh
At age 25 in 1927, Charles Lindbergh went from obscurity as a U.S. Air Mail pilot to instantaneous world fame. New York hotelier Raymond Orteig announced a $25,000 prize for the first person to fly nonstop from either New York to Paris, or Paris to New York. Orteig first proposed his transatlantic flight challenge in 1919 but did not receive his first serious competitors until 1926.
By the time Lindbergh made his flight, six other competitors had died in the attempt.
A hug can say those things. When we hug our friends and relatives, we are demonstrating our care for them. And there are other ways to show our affection – a greeting card, an “I love you” note, a bouquet of flowers, holding hands, walks after dinner, back rubs, phone calls, and conversations with thoughtful and loving expressions can all communicate affection.
Affection is, for many, the essential cement of a relationship. Without it, many people feel totally alienated. With it, they become emotionally bonded. If you feel terrific when your spouse is affectionate and you feel terrible when there is not enough affection, you have the emotional need for affection.
Charles Lindbergh’s ticker-tape parade in New York City
Showered with Affection
In 1927, the city of New York honored famed aviator Charles “Lucky Lindy” Lindbergh with a ticker-tape parade to celebrate his May 21st flight in the Spirit of St. Louis, the first solo airplane flight across the Atlantic Ocean. At just 25 years old, Lindbergh flew nonstop from New York to Paris, and according to the New York Times, an estimated four million people attended the ticker-tape parade throughout the city to celebrate his heroic feat.
When his plane touched down in Paris, Lindbergh was met by a crowd of 100,000 people who ran toward his plane at Le Bourget Airfield. While that was an impressive welcoming, New Yorkers took it further. He wrote in an article for the Times: “People told me the New York reception would be the biggest of all, but I had no idea it was going to be so much more overwhelming that all the others…All I can say is that the welcome was wonderful, wonderful.”